2022 Caregiver of the Year:
Aretha “Susie” Mays
AHC Waverly
Aretha “Susie” Mays, an environmental services employee with AHC Waverly, was named THCA’s 2022 Caregiver of the Year in a ceremony at her facility on Friday, Nov. 18.
THCA President James Wright and THCA Executive Director Jesse Samples made the presentation to Mays, who has worked at the facility for 19 years. Mays won a trophy and a $2,500 cash prize from THCA. Buddy Frazier, mayor of Waverly, also was on hand to honor Mays.
In 1999, members of THCA developed Nursing Home Caregiver Appreciation Day and the Caregiver of the Year award as a way to recognize and pay tribute to selfless individuals who have devoted their careers to improving the lives of those whose conditions require round-the-clock attention in a state-licensed nursing facility. The Caregiver of the Year program includes the recognition of honorees in each of THCA’s six districts: Memphis, Jackson, Nashville, Chattanooga, Knoxville and East Tennessee. From the pool of six district honorees, THCA’s Public Relations Committee selected Mays as the statewide Caregiver of the Year.
Additional 2022 District Caregivers of the Year
Memphis District
Lashondra Champion
Ave Maria Home
Nashville District
Lindsey Woosley
Mabry Health Care & Rehab Center
Chattanooga District
Ted Kirby
The Health Center at Standifer Place in Chattanooga
Knoxville District
Jessica Sinclair
Sevierville Health and Rehabilitation Center
East Tennessee District
Mamaie J. Dunbar
Four Oaks Healthcare Center
THCA/TNCAL’s Convention & Trade Show is the association’s signature event of the year, a time when Tennessee’s long-term care professionals can come together for education, networking, and a true sense of community. This year, however, the COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges unlike any our industry has seen before. THCA’s Board of Directors and staff have been considering the feasibility of holding a major event amid social distancing recommendations, restrictions on large gatherings, and the particular dangers of the virus to the elderly population.